Yama #1 is called Ahimsa. It is the yogi practice of showing compassion for all living things.
STUDENT REFLECTIONS
1)
Oct. 2010 from ShadowSam
To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.
To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight,
And find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,
And is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.
Wendell Berry
Thoughts on Ahisma. Excavation has been a central theme in my life these past few weeks. From digging through compacted clay and violently tearing at the roots of a one hundred plus year old oak in order to replace the pipes from well to pump, to probing my beliefs about my true character, I have been trying to mine a path back to the present. How can I best live my life so that I do as little harm as possible to other living beings? I begin to wander to extremes for every step I take has repercussions not to mention hopping into my carbon emitting transport and spewing deadly gasses everywhere I go. My dear friend Alberto has said many times, “Your first instinct Sam, is to love.” Each time he says this I try to breathe in the words and accept them. I try to quiet my fear. My fear that I am not quite enough, that I am somehow flawed at my core. My fear that triggers the violent response of berating other drivers for not paying attention (To Me!) The reality (perhaps?) is that there is a violence within me. Denying this has not, thus far, served me well. I believe that only by accepting and embracing that deep dark place inside will I then recognize the universal love that dwells there as well.
2)
Oct. 15.2010 by Yogilaney
Ahimsa has affected me profoundly. I have found that it affects all I have said and done, and all I have not said and done.
I have taken Ahimsa to my heart to mean for me the bringing of peace, and reduction of stress. I have to reduce my stress, and the stress of those around me. I also have to find a way to increase the peace in the atmosphere around me, and to reduce conflict. How do I manage to inhabit change within myself and inspire change without?
I have begun a journey toward self discovery using daily meditation, yoga and body alignment. Using these tools I have discovered that I am better equipped to deal with situations that would have increased my stress level in the past. Using my breath I am able to respond in a calm and peaceful manner to situations that in the past might have evoked a violent reaction. I have also been able to eliminate influences from my life that are negative. Limiting my exposure to news and negative people. I have also discovered that not all situations need a response, that sometimes limiting my response is the best gift I can give to a person, or a situation no matter how valuable I might think my input is. I have learned through my study of Ahimsa that if my opinion, or my words do not contribute to the peace then perhaps they are better left unsaid.
Words left unsaid leads me to how I can help change others. The gift of peace, of the reduction of violence and release of stress begins with each individual person. Each time you gift another person with a moment to breath, a beautiful smile, or a chance to be important and special you take a step toward eliciting peace in their world. Sometimes the best gift you can give them is silence. In this busy day and age there is always “input”. I have found that I always felt uncomfortable when I didn’t have a source of “input”. That was until I found yoga. Let us gift each other with a chance to discover that we don’t need external stimulus all the time.
When you are the last in a long line, perhaps you could smile at the service person and invite them to take a breath for a moment and collect themselves before they begin to serve you, grant them the peace of just a moment to breath without duty.
When you see a mother struggling to calm a crying child, maybe you could smile at the mother and make a funny face at the child remembering in your being when you were that mother or that child. Grant her the knowledge that we are one community.
Through Ahimsa we must realize that WE are PEACE. It begins and ends with us.
3)
Oct. 20.2010 by J.Harvey
The first Yama – Ahimsa – tells us to have compassion for all living things. And that we are not to injure or show cruelty to any creature or any person in any way whatsoever.
Are we being cruel to people if we don’t give enough of our time and money to others who are less fortunate? Most of us here in America all live in abundance – in my opinion. If we all have roofs over our heads at night, beds to sleep in, never have to worry about where our next meal comes from, and still have money available to buy other things, are we not living in abundance compared to much of the rest of the world?
I read a statistic once that states, “Over half of the world lives off of less than 8,000 dollars a year.” So if we have extra money to buy movies we may like to watch, or books we feel like reading for fun, or candles to decorate are home with, are we being wasteful? Don’t get me wrong – I don’t’ think that we should live with nothing in our homes other than a bed and the very bare necessities, but how many of us have junk drawers or boxes filled with things we don’t need or things we hardly ever even use anymore? As I think about it now, I have a perfectly good microwave sitting in the trunk of my car because we have another one we’re already using. Is that not living in abundance?
I read another statistic that although America only has 6% of the world’s population; we use 40% of the world’s energy. We have so much and use so much while others have so little. Are we showing cruelty to others by not sharing our wealth and resources? I know many people who live by the assumption that if we earned the money ourselves, we should be able to spend it however we please. I struggle with this. It would be nice to spend my money however I please – but then I’ll see a homeless man, without a winter jacket, shivering because it’s getting cold out, and I think of the 3 that I have in my closet to choose from so that I can ‘match my jacket’ with the outfit that I’m wearing for the day. Is that not cruelty? To live in such excess while others have so little?
I used to consider myself a rather giving person. But then reality hit me. I have trouble giving a man ten dollars for a meal, but I have no problem buying sixty dollar boots that would ‘look cute’ with the clothes I have. Why is it so hard to give, but so easy to hoard for ourselves? All that I’ve said is just my opinion, and I look down on no one for choosing to spend their time and money as they please. I just think that for myself, I really need to work on the Ahimsa Yama by giving more of my abundance to others. And not just ten dollars every once in awhile. Even simply giving someone the time of day when they are in need – communicating with them rather than ignoring them – this is at least acknowledging them as a human being who has wants and desires just like the rest of us – only on a much smaller scale if all they’re looking for is a meal, or a warm piece of clothing. But I think that all people at least deserve acknowledgement – even if we have nothing else to give them.
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